www.iFourWinns.com

Hi,
I have a 24' Horizon and it's probably 6000lbs with the trailer. Will a riding lawn mower move this? I would just be moving the boat in and out of the garage and it's perfectly flat. I was going to buy a John Deere X300 mower to cut grass and move the boat around. Do any of you guys have any good advice?

The trailer has a wheel in the front so tounge weight isn't an issue.

Thanks
Matt

I would not advise moving the trailer around with the tongue resting on the tongue jack. Those things are meant to hold the tongue up while stationary and IMO are not engineered to handle the side loads you would put on it while doing this. I think the only safe way to move the boat without your tow vehicle is to have a tractor capable of managing the ~500# tongue weight.


Again, just my opinion.

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

The tongue jack isn't sturdy at all. That's why they sell replacements -- they're flimsy and break easily!

_________________

2003 Sundowner S205, 5.0 GL/DP 220hp
Long Island, New York
My Boat: http://www.edcr.us/boat/

I did move my last boat using the 1967 Cub Cadet (12 hp motor) I own. However, all the tongue weight was on the tractor, and only weighed about half what you are pulling.

Don't they sell dollies that might help....something along these lines.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... stid=79532

_________________
Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

I just bought a Fulton 1600lbs wheeled jack. I think it will hold.

[url]http://www.cabelas.com/link-12/product/0063870020384a.shtml
[/url]

I would never be able to pull my boat with one of those hand dollies. I wish that would work.

The problem is that my boat comes with 1/2" of my garage door opening and it's a royal pain in the A$$ to position the boat with my truck. I would only be using the John Deere to move the boat in and out of the garage. I'm just curious if anyone else has had success doing this.

Matt,
I have a John Deere LX280 that I use to take my boat out of the garage. My driveway is relatively flat but there is a little decline to it. My driveway doesn't allow me the luxury of hooking the truck to the boat and pulling it out, since the width is only around 24 feet. So I pull it out with the mower, when I am clear I then can make the turn down the driveway to hook it up to the truck. My mower has no problem doing this.
I only do this once a year though, since I only store my boat in the garage during the winter, and keep it in the driveway if not at the inlaws dock.
I have tried to back it in to the garage, but due the small incline into the garage the mower strains to back the boat up. I have a friendly neighbor who helps me push the boat back into the garage. If my driveway was flat I would definitely use it to back it in.

Matt

_________________



2005 Horizon 200 LE - Volvo Penta 5.0GXi 270

What about putting a hitch on the front of your tow vehicle? I recall reading a post somewhere on here where several people had success with that and worked well in tight quarters.

_________________
2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

I have a front hitch on my 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee and it is without a doubt the best thing for backing up trailers in tight spots....you can get it exactly where you want it the first time and better yet you can see where it's going...I got the idea from watching the guy at the local boatyard...all his pick up trucks have front hitches for moving the boats around in the yard....you can get a Draw Tite for about 140 or so....

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I just got a farmal H to move our boat around, rated at 25 HP 70 years ago, maybe 10 now???? moves the boat very well.
I would never use the wheeled tounge jack to move the boat, I have even replaced with a heavier jack, and its falling apart.

_________________
2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
Videos

Just give it a try.

Please have camera ready!

_________________

H210SS 6.2
F150 Platinum

Funniest post of the day!

_________________
Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4